The purpose of this book is to provide a state-of-the-art overview of current research on spatial industrial clusters and inter-firm networks. Given the current political belief in many countries and regions that clusters can be a major vehicle for economic development and growth, it is important to have a good understanding of industrial clusters and how they emerge, grow, eventually stagnate and disappear. Also an understanding is needed about when and how to apply policy measures to support cluster development to increase economic welfare. This book contributes to the theoretical and...

During the last two decades a new growth theory has emerged - often labelled "endogenous economic growth." The contributions in the book develop these advances into a theoretical framework for endogenous regional economic growth and explain the implications for regional economic policies in the perspective of the new century. Endogenous growth models can reflect increasing returns and hence refer more adequately to empirical observations than earlier models, and the models become policy relevant, because in endogenous growth models policy matters. Such policies comprise efforts to stimulate...